AP® SCHOLAR AWARDS
For Immediate Release
Contact:
City, State:
Date:
[ number ] students at [ school ] have earned AP Scholar Awards in recognition of their
exceptional achievement on AP Exams.
The College Board’s Advanced Placement Program ® (AP®) provides willing and
academically prepared students with the opportunity to take rigorous college-level courses while
still in high school, and to earn college credit, advanced placement, or both for successful
performance on the AP Exams. About 20 percent of the 2.1 million students worldwide who took
AP Exams performed at a sufficiently high level to also earn an AP Scholar Award.
The College Board recognizes several levels of achievement based on students’
performance on AP Exams.
At [ school ]:
[ number ] students qualified for the National AP Scholar Award by earning an average
score of 4 or higher on a five-point scale on all AP Exams taken, and scores of 4 or higher on eight
or more of these exams. These students are [ insert names ].
[ insert name ] qualified for a State AP Scholar Award. The designation of State AP Scholar
is granted to the one male and one female student in each U.S. state and the District of Columbia
with scores of 3 or higher on the greatest number of AP Exams, and then the highest average
score (at least 3.5) on all AP Exams taken.
[ number ] students qualified for the AP Scholar with Distinction Award by earning an
average score of at least 3.5 on all AP Exams taken, and scores of 3 or higher on five or more of
these exams. These students are [ insert names ].
(over)
[ number ] students qualified for the AP Scholar with Honor Award by earning an average
score of at least 3.25 on all AP Exams taken, and scores of 3 or higher on four or more of these
exams. These students are [ insert names ].
[ number ] students qualified for the AP Scholar Award by completing three or more AP
Exams with scores of 3 or higher. The AP Scholars are [ insert names ].
Of this year’s award recipients at [ your school ], [ number ] are sophomores or juniors: [
insert names of underclassmen ]. These students have at least one more year in which to complete
college-level work and possibly earn a higher-level AP Scholar Award.
Through 34 different college-level courses and exams, AP provides willing and
academically prepared students with the opportunity to earn college credit or advanced
placement and stand out in the college admission process. Each exam is developed by a
committee of college and university faculty and AP teachers, ensuring that AP Exams are aligned
with the same high standards expected by college faculty at some of the nation’s leading liberal
arts and research institutions. More than 3,800 colleges and universities annually receive AP
scores. Most four-year colleges in the United States provide credit and/or advanced placement
for qualifying exam scores. Research consistently shows that AP students who score a 3 or higher
on AP Exams (based on a scale from 1 to 5, with 5 being the highest) typically experience greater
academic success in college and have higher college graduation rates than students who do not
participate in AP.
The College Board is a mission-driven not-for-profit organization that connects students to
college success and opportunity. Founded in 1900, the College Board was created to expand
access to higher education. Today, the membership association is made up of over 6,000 of the
world’s leading educational institutions and is dedicated to promoting excellence and equity in
education. Each year, the College Board helps more than seven million students prepare for a
successful transition to college through programs and services in college readiness and college
success — including the SAT® and the Advanced Placement Program. The organization also
serves the education community through research and advocacy on behalf of students, educators
and schools.
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